I’ve pointed out a number of times how taking a Yes, And approach can help the YES! Leader maintain a positive, collaborative atmosphere.  I’ve also mentioned that saying Yes, And doesn’t necessarily mean Agreeing with another’s Position, but it does mean:

During times of change we need to learn as we go along, responding and adapting to each new circumstance.  Interactions are at the heart of such learning.  And improvisation can give you the skills you need to be a master of those interactions. 

A useful maxim states, “The action is in the interaction”.  In complex circumstances, each interaction is likely to be different.  Improvisation experts have the advantage in these practical, paradoxical places where you need both structure…

Hello dear AIN People!

Just in case the itch to get on a plane and fly all the way to Manila hits you, we're all set to hold the Manila International Improv Festival from June 28-July 1 this year.

Think about it.

Visit our Facebook Group

What a great place to be for an improviser, past week in Ghent, the 5th World Conference of Appreciative Inquiry. (Read everything about it on 2012waic). Especially as a practioner of applied improvisation this congres was awesome for me.

As I wrote before (in…

http://t.co/yS6ZRGJW

http://www.artbracket.com/profiles/blogs/eva-fidjeland-versatile-artist-with-perfect-earthly-style

Anyone notice the changes to this site?  Yes, the new logo... and a few other touches to make it a bit easier to use, contribute and find what you are looking for.  Many thanks to Bard, Rich and others.

Valda dikter ur Astartes mage utgiven på NIKITHA/Förlag 2009, av Eva  Fidjeland

“Whence came you hither?” asked the golden king.

“Out of the clefts where the gold dwells,” replied the serpent.

“What is more glorious than gold?”

“Light.”

“What is more quickening than light?”

“Conversation.”



From Goethe's “The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily.”



Goethean Conversation is, in my view, pure applied improvisation.



Here's some more about it:…

Just in case anyone might read this, the seventh annual Hawaii Festival of Improvisation is currently accepting applications:

http://www.improvaganza.com/

Join us, world!

Here's my golden rule of applied improvisation:

The skilled applied improviser always improvises the improvisation they are applying.

Inherent in this rule is the notion that, on some occasions, the improvisational step the facilitator will take, will be to break the golden rule.

I've mentioned this because, otherwise, the idea of the word "always" in a golden rule about improvisation might appear to be too fixed and generic. When we decide to NOT improvise, if…

If you are concerned with this question - and want to be part of creating new answers - I hope you'll join me and over 500 innovators and creators from around the world at Performing the World, an international conference being held in New York City from October 4-7, 2012.  The theme of the conference is "Can Performance Save the World," and we are eager to bring together activists, artists, researchers, therapists, medical professionals, social workers, community organizres, educators,…

Two Applied Improvisation Facilitators (including your truly) dive deeply into facilitation, leadership, heroes, myths and change. Comments welcome. We'll be adding to these and I'd be very up for recording similar skype chats with interested AIN members. What might we explore? (The link opens an audio player). Here's the link.

Facilitation (and therapy), at its worst (and this I believe is very widespread) is when the participants are simply an occasion for the facilitator to engage in a self-conversation. Too many facilitators are in an often sub-conscious self-conversation, as are groups of facilitators. The workshop becomes a fake excuse for self-validating, self-healing, self-boost, and self-justification. And, one day, we will recognise it as a form of abuse, perhaps even a crime against…

Yes or No ?

   I like Improv, in the sense of Applied Imrovisation  for therapy, training, mediation, whatever. It all began when I first heard of an Improv player, who saw the similarities between Son-Rise and Improv. And he decided to use Improv for his son, a little boy with 'classic autism'. In need for moreplayers, he…

Thought for the day: If your inner conversation sounds like a strategy, the chances are you'll soon become a victim of your own tactics. Inner conversations should feel more like poetic dialogue, like music, and sometimes like a rollicking good drama.